A New Era
by Draco Kamikaze
Summary: They say that if you don't study history, it will repeat itself. However, in some cases, when it begins to repeat, there will be one who's learned who will step out of the shadows with a new way to mix things up. Watch as Naruto enters the stage of the galaxy, and brings to them something no one could have expected. Naruto/Star Wars xover. Dark!Naruto.
1. Chapter 1

AN: I don't own Naruto or Star Wars.

This story was given as a challenge by **Lawrence Helmbain**, who had some interesting ideas. I was honestly intrigued, and although I've come up with a few twists and turns, I kept some of the base ideas that made the most sense to me. So here's a different take with Naruto; a Naruto raised in the bowels of the dark side.

This won't be a super overpowered Naruto, but he will be powerful, and he will be a threat in the universe. How? …well, how about we read the prologue, since that'll give a lot about how this will go down.

Secondary Disclaimer: I own the ideas that are mine, and any similarity to **From Darkness** is probably because I'm writing both of them. So yeah, onto the story!

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><p><strong>A New Era<strong>

**Defiance**

_Years before the Battle of Yavin, and universe was in a time _

_of great change. The fall of the Infinite Empire had created a schism of power _

_thanks to the efforts of those who had helped develop a virus that severed_

_the Rakata's connection to the Force._

_Their powers in the dark side taken from them, they struggled in vain as_

_their technology was lost to them. Many Rakata sought diligently to find_

_some solution to their problem, searching the universe for something that_

_could bring back the power that had allowed them to rule the galaxy for_

_over 10,000 years._

_One scientist, who still held just enough power to follow the faint whispers of_

_the dark side, followed his hyperdrive deep into wild space. With his Force_

_Hounds as his guide to this world rich in, he guided them to the small planet _

_hidden in space wherein he hoped to forge something that would be the _

_salvation for the Infinite Empire and the Rakata race. What he created, _

_was something else entirely…_

**Unknown Date: Unknown Planet**

Standing in the clearing, the Rakatan stood with his eyes searching over the landscape as he grit his teeth. The area around him was covered in a large conglomeration of slaves and every force sensitive entity that they could muster on their ship. It had required several trips as their ship had been too large to land on the planet's surface, but he'd taken everyone off. Every living creature and with every resource he could grab before he'd left.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he turned in on himself. He was a striking figure of a strong Rakata despite the feeling of being crippled due to his limited connection to the Force. The center of his forehead rose upward, a peak of his physique with his eyes on either side of his head with small wrinkles from long nights where he'd forced himself to remain awake as he came up with this plan. His eyes slowly opened, gold eyes glaring at the landscape with a dark glare as he stepped into the light where his red stripped skin glowed in the light of the fading sun.

"My lord Kaxn."

Kaxn scowl softened as he turned to the Force Hound who knelt next to him. The creature was one of the many humans under his command, but had been bred and trained as the Rakata's personal trackers. They were the key way they found new worlds that were rich in the Force, and it was thanks to them that they found this planet. "Report."

"They are in position, but we can sense that there is…dissension in the ranks." The Hound said, bowing their head. "There are some that believe they will be capable of overthrowing you, and usurping your power on this planet. It…is secluded, and they feel that they will garner no retribution of the Infinite Empire should they turn on you now."

"It matters not." He whispered, drawing the dead blade in his hands as he looked over the group. There was indeed a large group of people who were beginning to fight amongst themselves, but from the look in his eyes, the dead far off gaze that held no contempt or malice, the Hound felt themselves pressing their head into the gravel of his feet.

He didn't care. He lost his hope, his purpose, and he simply didn't care about the desires of the slaves under him. In this moment, in this very second, his plan was already moving forwards.

Drawing the blade down his arm, he knelt down and placed his hand against the ground. Beneath him, dark ruins began glowing and spreading in an arc that encompassed the breakout of war.

"The blood of the forsaken, the blood of the lost, and the blood of an animal." Kaxn muttered, focusing on the little bit of the dark side he could touch as he tried to ensure that this ritual was properly summoned a salvation.

He hadn't thought much of it when he'd gone over the records of other species that the Rakata had discovered during their ever expanding rule. However, after looking over their notes, he realized that the species on the planet Korriban, the Sith, had utilized their connection to the Force to do something that the Rakata hadn't thought of during their reign; they had altered animals with the Force. These creatures, so called Sithspawn, were raised from their regular state to something more, something greater, something stronger, and something with more potential. And so he'd wondered; what if he used such a technique to create something that would hold the potential to cure their disease?

Only one way to find out.

And so he stared at the ground, runes and blood sinking into the ground as he silently prayed for a miracle. He wished and prayed that this would work, that there would be _something_ salvageable from this.

As he watched, his eyes narrowed in worry. The screams of the dead and dying increased in tempo as the runes began drawing the bodies towards the center of the circle. As the bodies slammed into each other, their bodies became liquidated and malleable as they formed into one being. One solid structure of a being that would solve the issue of the Rakata.

Right as it took shape, it bellowed, making Kaxn balk in confusion. That was not the roar of a creature that would serve his will. It was that of a defiant creature with the will to live, to have control of its own life.

This wasn't possible. This couldn't be. His mind went over all the possibilities, looking for anything he'd missed. There couldn't possibly be anything he'd missed; he'd been meticulous, thorough, and while he didn't care for the slaves it was because their actions couldn't possibly change the outcome of the ritual.

"Lord Kaxn!"

Slowly, he turned to his Force Hound, staring blankly as he shuddered silently. "…no…it can't be." Seeing the creature beginning to approach, he sighed. "Leave now. I need this…I need to have this final moment alone."

Turning his head once more back to the fighting slaves as his Force Hound ran away, he watched as their fighting escalated, his carefully constructed seal finding itself more and more overwhelmed. However, it wasn't the beings that were overwhelming it, shifting the nature of the beast. No, it was something different, darker, and more unpredictable.

The blood of war.

With a feral screech, the creature stood over him, reaching out with something that looked like a white cocoon. Unable to fight it off, he screamed to the sky as it wrapped around him.

As he was dying, his eyes opened wide in shock as he felt something trickling into his body. Was this…could it possibly be the Force? No, it couldn't, this was a failure! And yet he couldn't deny the feeling of dark power washing over him, granting him the desire of his heart. With a slowly strangled laugh, he allowed his body to fade.

His soul though, lived on.

And in that moment, his eyes saw a vision of the future, something he hadn't been able to do in forever. In his vision, he saw a boy that could see him, a boy that would carry on his will and desires. He could see the boy standing over the ship he'd hidden in the mountains, hyperdrive fueled by the power of the dark side. Standing at the precipice of the galaxy, he watched as this child stood between the dark and the light, and threw all into chaos.

He now had something to focus on, something to care about. Silently, his soul laughed. He was more than happy. No, the Rakata weren't every simply _happy_. He was _focused_ and he was _greedy_. Death was to easy, and he would wait for this child that would be the vessel for him to carry his will throughout the galaxy.

After all, there was more than enough time for the dead to wait, and plot for the future.

* * *

><p><strong>43 BBY: Unknown Planet<strong>

The Village Hidden in the Leaves. It was considered one of the greatest villages of all time, filled with the most powerful of ninja, as well as the most dangerous yet morally straight of them.

"Get out of here you brat!"

However, as with all things, there were exceptions to those people.

One such victim to those people was a young child named Naruto. The boy stared up at his aggressors, eyes filled with silent resentment as he stumbled away from the man. With his back turned to the world around him, he could feel their eyes on him, feel their hate, and their enmity. Shoving his hand into the pockets of his vest, his head hung low as he walked through the city.

"Stupid guy." Naruto muttered, rubbing his cheek as he shook his head. "I'll show him…I'll show everyone."

There was darkness in his eyes as he stared down the street. He'd tried so hard to be a 'good boy' and just let things go. However, he'd begun to give up on that. No one respected him, everyone avoided him, and people would even remove anyone who could possibly be a friend to him. It was unfair, it wasn't right, and he wouldn't take it.

"I'll show them. I'll show everyone! They'll all learn to respect me, and then they'll see!" Naruto clenched his fists, silently wondering what he would possibly do to make them understand that he just wanted their respect.

Grumbling, he slipped into his favorite ramen stand to cool off. Placing his chin on the counter, he grumbled softly as he watched two of the only people he ever cared for work. The two of them were clearly busy, and while he wasn't in a good mood, he couldn't help but smile at them. Watching them go about their work, he silently wondered what life would be like when he got into the Ninja Academy and began his path as a ninja.

It took them several minutes before they turned around, in which time they only noticed him because someone else came into the establishment and called out to them. Naruto shrunk away upon realizing he wasn't alone, familiar faces of people who weren't kind to him and wouldn't allow him to stay for long should their attention turn to him. Slipping out, he dejectedly shoved his hands in his pockets, grumbling along with his stomach silently as he moved away.

Looking up towards the sky, he grit his teeth as he whined softly. It had been quite a bit of time since he'd been able to eat so he was hungry, he was getting tired, and he was getting tired of the treatment of the people who continually treated him like he was nothing more than some stupid kid. He was more than that, he was going to be the greatest! Then he was sure they'd respect him.

They'd have to…right?

Shaking his head, he found his feet leading him around the city in a pattern he didn't remember. It was halfway through one of the backstreets when he realized that he was in unfamiliar surroundings. Pausing, he looked around and bit his lip, shrinking in on himself in worry.

There was something wrong, something he couldn't see, but he could most definitely feel. There was the presence of something malevolent, dark, and…powerful. It was like a whisper on the wind, calling out to him, with a tone that was intoxication and drew him in, and so he slowly began following it. It drew him in, like a dark melody that had him on a hook and its master was reeling him in.

Turning a corner, he froze as he looked at the street in front of him. It was filled with people, filled with faces of people who he knew, who hated him, and who wanted nothing good for him. It felt like all their eyes fell on him as soon as he stepped out, eyes raised in confusion and malice. However, he didn't notice any of it. He didn't care, because of the thing that was standing within the middle of the street.

The person – no, the _creature_ – that stood in the middle of the street was humming a low, dark melody. Its eyes were closed, and stuck out on either side of its head, its red striped skin transparent as the light of the fading day shown through it. An aura of red glowed around it, reaching out to all those around it and brushing against the people with some sort of energy Naruto could feel almost as much as he could see.

Then, with a slow and terrifying sensation, its eyes opened. Naruto felt its eyes fall on him, piercing gaze pulling the breath from him as its aura reached out towards him. Its mouth opened slowly, revealing razor sharp serrated teeth that curled into a smile. Standing up, the creature lifted its arm and pointed before slowly fading.

Naruto slowly let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding as he looked towards where the creature had been pointing. It was towards the mountain known as the Hokage Monument, a mountain with the four faces of their village leaders carved into it. Taking slow, deep breaths to steady himself after that…experience, he hesitantly began moving towards the mountain.

That smile…that energy…he couldn't help himself. He was just a young six year old boy, with endless curiosity and a desire to understand the world around him. This creature that no one could see, what was it? Where did it disappear to?

And why did he feel a growing need to follow it?

I-=-I

Naruto had never felt as tired as now, walking to the top of the mountain. The sensation he'd felt before was pulling him like he'd been placed on a leash, drawing him to this place. His eyes were distant, trying to focus on what he was feeling. It was like his whole body was breathing heavily, drowning in the sensation of power that begged him for breath as each 'breath' made his body feel as though he were on fire.

Pulling himself to the top, he fell to his knees and grit his teeth, eyes focusing quickly on a seemingly random spot in front of himself. It took a moment, but the creature soon began forming in front of him with that same sharp grin as it towered over him.

"_So, you can see me." _The creature said with a smirk, yellow eyes staring into his own azure eyes. _"Good…very good. Just like I anticipated…so long ago."_

Naruto flinched, hissing softly as the pain from his hike up as he glared at the creature. Shaking, he stood up on shaky legs and tried to glare at the creature. "Hey! What are you talking about you…weird fish thing?!"

"_My name is Kaxn, slave. Do you sense my presence?"_ The creature said, raising a hand in front of him. Curling its fingers, it grinned as the power around it spiked. Slowly, the very earth around Naruto began rising up, orbiting him and shepherding him towards it. Despite Naruto's valiant effort to stay where he was, every time he tried to stay where he was, he ended up getting either struck or cut by one of the floating stones. _"Do you know what this is? No? Well then…good."_

Naruto flinched as he was forced to stand right in front of the creature, looking up at it as the floating stones began to spin faster and faster, a maelstrom of kinetic energy and power. The creature placed its hand on his head, eyes closing as he took a deep breath. "What-what are you –"

"_I've waited millennia. I've waited eons…_eons_ for this. Now I _will_ be free!"_

There was a rush of power and Naruto threw his head back and screamed. The creature began sinking into Naruto's body, laughing wildly. It was excited, impatient, and soon it would be free. It wouldn't wait any longer; his patience had finally worn thin, and it _would_ have his freedom.

It's a shame that he wasn't more careful.

Time had made it impatient, and had it been more wary, it would have known two things. The first, was that no one, _no one_ had as indomitable a will as Naruto. The second was something unprecedented, and something that he should have known, but because he had lost himself to his 'meditation' he'd missed out on.

"_Why hello Rakata."_

Its eyes opened, mouth now a silent scream as its body shook. Naruto's eyes had narrowed into a dark glare as his body physically shook. His eyes, normally a striking azure, had shifted to an animalistic red as he roared loudly in defiance.

He'd been looked down on. He'd been ignored. He'd been left on the streets with nothing. And now, some creature, some _thing_ that called him 'slave'…was trying to take his free will? The _one thing_ he had that he _knew_ no one could ever truly take from him?

"No!" Naruto shouted. Reaching out, he was stunned when his hands grabbed hold of the creatures face. Dragging it down, his stared into its eyes, piercing red staring into terrified yellow eyes. "You will _not_ take me. No…_no._"

His mouth opened and closed as it tried to form a coherent sentence. It had been alive for year upon years longer than the boy. He should have had the advantage of experience and knowledge, but he had held onto his belief in the Infinite Empire and the power of his people. However, in the face of a _child_, not even grown large enough to have gone through puberty, he wasn't powerful.

He was terrified.

He had acted too fast, thought that he could simply walk in and take what wasn't his, and now he was going to pay for it. The two of them screamed at one another, but unlike Naruto, he could sense the third presence growling at him as well. In that moment, he realized his folly; he wasn't fighting one mind, he was fighting two. And the second was _filled_ with the dark side in a way that was even more powerful than any other dark side user he'd ever felt in his existence.

Then, to his shock, he felt the dark side spike from the boy. Eyes widening in confusion, the dark side grabbed ahold of his mind and began dragging his knowledge and memories into the boy. At first he thought he could struggle against it, certain that the boy wouldn't be able to overpower him. Regrettably, he'd forgotten that there was a second mind that now reached out and dragging his mind, knowledge, and very essence into the boy.

With a feral roar, he tried in vain to struggle once more, only to feel his soul snap away from the two of them weakly. With the last bit of strength, he glared at the boy and tried to harm him with the stones around him. To his shock, the stones fell around him, his power failing like when his body had been afflicted by the plague that had taken his Force powers away all those millennia ago. In his shock, he fell into the darkness, his mind and soul finally breaking.

As he vanished, Naruto blinked, the stones circling him slowly for a second before they fell to the ground. Then, he too hit the ground.

Floating in the air, Naruto's eyes opened slowly. The area around him was built of stone, and smelt humid. Feeling a droplet of water brush against his face, he flinched as he rolled over.

Still floating in the air, Naruto stared head of himself, eyes blank as his mind broke out in a splitting headache. His eyes were glossed over as he struggled in place, nothing around him that he could injure himself with to prevent the madness from sinking in.

"Calm yourself boy. Your fear is giving it strength. Relax…we're safe here."

"_No_…" Naruto muttered, shaking his head. "I'm…I'm not safe. Nowhere is safe."

"Here is. Inside your mind, no one can touch you." There was a pause, then a deep, booming laughter. "Well, no one but me."

"…me?" Naruto muttered, eyes slowly opening. Thankfully, childish curiosity overpowered fear for a brief instant as he turned to the source of the voice. Seeing the bright red eyes staring at him, he felt himself slowly being lowered to the ground. Landing on shaky legs, Naruto stared up. "Who is…who are you?"

The darkness split apart into a bright, jagged smile, larger than Naruto was tall. For a brief second, Naruto was worried that he'd lost his mind, except the shooting pain that ran through his head told him otherwise. "Patience boy, all good things in time."

"What…happened? What did Kaxn do?" Naruto hissed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he slowly leaned back.

"And how do you know his name is Kaxn?" The voice asked curiously, chuckling softly as it watched the boy struggle.

"…I don't…" Naruto's eyes slowly opened, red tendrils brushing against his face, helping his mind sort out the foreign information. "…what is all this?"

"It's his mind. The mind of that creature, the Rakatan."

"Oh. Okay." Were he older, such an influx of information could have broken him. As it was, despite his mind being overwhelmed by the influx of information, it felt…right. So when the name came up, it rolled off his tongue, the foreign word 'Rakatan' seeming to be held in high regard. However, that still left a question. "And…who are you?"

"Me? I am your savior, your liberator…and your brother, the nine tailed demon fox."

Naruto blinked. Raising a finger he paused, then dropped it again. "…my brother."

It wasn't a question. Staring up at those dark red eyes, Naruto could feel the power of the creature before him and he understood. Kaxn, the Rakata, had left him with a gift of knowledge, of power, and an understanding of the foreign feelings around him. He'd always felt that he could sense things like a seasoned ninja could, however the way his mind now revealed things to him, he knew it was more than that. It was the Force. And through his still budding connection to the Force, he could feel a similar connection held by the Fox as well. Different, and confusing to his young mind, but it _was_ still there.

"Brother…yes, I can work with that." Naruto said softly, eyes darting around as his mind began picking up the pace. The red tendrils began doing the same, building barriers in Naruto's mind while helping him to learn at a rate that should've been impossible. It would likely take a few days to process it all, seeing how Kaxn had so many years to sit still and simply think, but those days would be spent going through it all and learning.

No longer would he be the boy who was turned away from by the village. No longer was he the boy alone. Now…he was more. He was a part of the Rakata in mind, the Infinite Empire in spirit, and a ninja at heart.

Naruto took a deep breath, staring at the ceiling with new, opened eyes. Then, he laughed. It was loud, manic, and couldn't be controlled. He laughed loud, long, and hard at the world around him. "Such _fools!_ All this time…all this _time_ and they've never…no. They can't see me for me, so how could they possibly see what this is?"

"So you can see it now too?" The fox asked, its head lowered and placed on its paws as it chuckled softly.

"Oh yes." Naruto said quickly, clenching and unclenching his hands. "That feeling when I saw him, Kaxn, it was like I was breathing, but…more. I know how to use it, but I also know I'm not ready for…that. Or for those techniques. But soon…soon enough I will be."

"And what will you do with them?" The fox grinned, the manic look on the boy's face slowly shifting to a more thoughtful one.

"…haven't thought that far yet." Naruto admitted with an overdramatic sigh. "Oh well, I guess that means we'll have to make things up as we go."

"So it does…or does it?"

Naruto slowly looked up at the fox, raising an eyebrow curiously. "Oh? Something you had in mind?"

The fox nodded, focusing the tendrils still connected to Naruto's mind to help move things around. While Naruto had received the mind of Kaxn, he hadn't been the only one. And unlike Naruto, the fox had _more_ than enough capability to comprehend the information at a much quicker rate. So when images passed in front of Naruto's eyes, they were very specific, and very informative to the young boy's mind.

"…you think it'll work?" Naruto muttered, biting his lip in excitement. The idea was crazy, one might even call it manic, but it was something Naruto would more than happily put into practice should the opportunity arise. Slowly rubbing his hands together, Naruto took a deep breath. "…okay then, _brother_, or do you have another name I should call you?"

"…Kurama."

"Kurama then." Naruto's smirk turned feral, eyes red with the three whisker marks on his cheeks darkening. "How about we get started then?"

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><p>AN: This is a little bit shorter than my <strong>From Darkness<strong> chapters, but I wanted to get the first chapter out so I could at the very least _begin_ this story, otherwise I'll never get around to posting it. That being said, there's a lot of things I'm gong to work with, varying from canon of Naruto and Star Wars (especially extended universe), to a couple of OC's. There will be a few that will hold positions where I need them, but overall, it's going to use canon Force techniques, and Canon characters as much as possible.

Also, unlike in **From Darkness** where Naruto's universe will be kept at a distance for the most part, this one will be..._slightly_ different in that once the time comes there _will_ be ninja running around and making life for Jedi and Sith quite interesting. There will have to be...some changes, but then, you'll see what, and hopefully they'll be both interesting and fun.

Thank you all for reading, and until next time, this has been **A New Era.**


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I don't own Naruto or Star Wars.

Quick question for all of you. Right now I'm using the English names for the jutsu…except like right there where I'll throw in some obvious Japanese words/references. So, my question is, do you prefer to read the Japanese names for the techniques, or the English names for the jutsu? Either way, it won't affect how I write or anything, just a curious thought I had and wanted to know what my readers opinions on the matter were.

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><p><span><strong>The Slow Climb<strong>

**Four Years Later**

**39 BBY**

The glade was quiet where the strong winds on the mountaintop blew through the area, forming into a fairly nice breeze in the hot summer's day. Moving within the center of the glade, a young blond haired boy was going through the necessary kata of a martial arts form with practiced ease. Were one to watch him, they'd find each step to be a bit clunky due to inexperience, however his footwork at the moment was precise and picturesque in how it need to be; when one learned mainly from books though, that's usually how ones steps would eventually end up.

Taking a short breath, he leapt into the air with a spinning kick that ended with him continuing the spin as he landed and dropped towards the group, sweeping the feet out from under and imaginary opponent. Hopping back, his eyes seemed to dart around in search of his phantom opponent before stopping as he looked towards the sky.

"…this sucks." Naruto said softly, slowly falling onto his back. "We've been looking for all this time, and I'm still no closer to getting anywhere."

"_Patience. Even with all that power you've learned, you still need to be patient about how you go about things."_

"Patience? If I learn fast enough, maybe I can just _drag _the stupid thing out of the sky and we'll jump on from there?" Naruto flailed in place in frustration. "I _hate_ this planet, and I want _off_, but _somebody_ decided to park their ship _in orbit_. Stupid Kaxn and his stupid face."

"_You already know why we can't do that Naruto. So until we can determine how the weather has altered the landscape, we _must_ be patient."_

"I don't have to like it though."

"_No, I never said that."_

Naruto rolled his eyes and sat up, rubbing his cheek with a frown. Leaning back, he rolled to his feet and began brushing out his short sleeved grey tunic while moving to the well-worn path that lead back to the village. He'd spent more than long enough laying around, and now he needed to return to the village for more academy classes.

The Academy. How he hated the pretentious teachers who lorded over him. Each one that he'd had always seemed to have _someone_ who died during the fox's attack; like that was either of their faults that a giant fox had walked through the village and crushed a few people. If he were more of an open troublemaker he'd likely get more attention from them, but that would break the silent trust between them that basically was 'don't step on my toes and I won't step on yours'. It gave Naruto the ability to blend in, to hide among the others in his class, and to practice his power even while surrounded by those who could use chakra.

Smirking at that memory, he inwardly regarded the power of chakra with disdain. He'd found that while he could use it, it made the Force feel…numb to him while he did so, and as the only person to use the Force in the village, he wasn't about to give up his ace in the hole. Instead when told to practice the jutsu, he'd simply fail, shrug, and move on. Perhaps one day in the future he'd learn how to use chakra and the Force properly, but for now, he was more interested in the one he had eons of knowledge about.

Grinning at that thought, he remembered one of the teachers who didn't have a grudge against him. Mizuki. The man was as much trying to hide in plain sight as he was, and usually ended up letting the other teacher, Iruka, lead the class while he sat in the back. Were he anyone else, he would have missed the man's very presence until he spoke.

As it were though, he'd been an amazing test of Naruto's will and tactics; testing if any of the tricks and subtleties of the Force on the mind were any good. So far, the man had a rather loose will, and while most tricks were ignored, Naruto had left him a few times with a lot on his mind.

Which led him to today. Kurama had a plan, and part of that plan was being inhibited by the fact that he couldn't leave the village. He couldn't go out and search for the one thing that was necessary for them if they wanted to move any further with this.

So, with a bit of work, Naruto had forced his grades up as he'd scoured the information that they'd been given, and even if he'd cheated just a _little_ he'd be able to ace his weapons and combat tests as well. With two out of the three necessary requirements taken care of, he had badgered Mizuki to suggest a different test rather than something as dumb as the clone or any other jutsu for the final. So, if he had done his job, Naruto would be home free, getting onto a team, and getting out of the village.

I-=-I

"Naruto, you fail."

The boy was livid as he stared at the man in front of him. Iruka tried to return the look, but between them Naruto knew he held the higher ground on this matter. He'd done everything right, he had so much already completed, heard the other kids talking about how easy the last test was and then he _changed it_. Crossing his arms, he shook his head with a scowl.

"No way! Everyone else didn't have to do this for their final test, so why do I have to?" Naruto's eyes were closed shut, keeping the shift that occasionally happened when he was upset from being seen.

Iruka sighed, staring at the paper in front of him. "You're attempting to graduate two years early Naruto. We can't simply let you out into the world because you are somehow able to pass all the other tests but can't even perform a simple Transformation or create a Clone."

"Oh?" Naruto's arms slowly uncrossed, fingers twitching next to his weapons pouch. "And if you're _so_ good, then if my perfect accuracy is good enough, your Transformation will save you from me throwing a kunai at you right?"

There was a silence between them as the two teachers balked at the words. Iruka because of the blatant threat to his life, and Mizuki because he'd never pegged Naruto to be so ruthless. Glancing between them, he silently wondered how long it would take for one of the two to snap from their position and change something.

Naruto moved, fingers snapping his pouch and got Iruka standing to his feet. "Naruto no!"

His fingers curled and pulled in a fluid motion before whipping towards Iruka. With his outsiders eyes, he was able to see the one thing Iruka had missed and laughed outright when Iruka flinched. "Oh come on Iruka, he has a point."

Iruka blinked, realizing that Naruto's weapon pouch was empty, and that Naruto was merely pointing his hand at him. No kunai was coming to claim his life. He'd had Naruto and all of the other students put their weapons back in the weapons box as soon as they'd completed target practice after all. Yet still, he'd flinched.

With a mutter of indignation, he slowly sat down. The original test for the other kids had been different, and he'd changed it because that _was_ what protocol demanded. Each year the test was different, and he couldn't simply allow Naruto to graduate because he had fancy finger work. On the other hand, he was tied for third in class in combat, and had aced his written exams. Everything except his jutsu were flawless.

Staring at the boy, he wondered why the boy was so adamant that this was wrong. Any other kid his age would take the blow and move on, wait till next year, and keep training. It gave him a longer chance to train in the safety of the village, though that same safety tended to harbor a sense of security that was quite false when one stepped into the world at large.

Mizuki on the other hand, seemed to be taking this in a completely different light. He'd been more subtle with his actions over the last couple of months, and had found that by easing off he'd actually been able to get a bit further along than he'd gotten before. Were it up to him, he'd take the Jonin exam and take the kid under his wing himself just because he figured that having the boy with the Fox in him would turn out to be quite…interesting.

Taking the papers from Iruka, he looked them over with a soft hum. "You know Iruka, there _are_ other areas than the main service we could send Naruto with these scores. I mean, yeah, he didn't pass the jutsu demonstration, but his core curriculum is astounding, and his fighting skills aren't half bad."

Naruto could feel Kurama rolling his eyes at that remark. 'Not half bad' was far from a convincing argument, but if it was what got them out of this hell-hole of a school into the working force that would allow him freedom, he'd take it.

"Mizuki, we wouldn't have a place for him." Iruka said sternly, finally sitting down. "He's the odd one out, and he wouldn't have a sensei to teach him if we allowed him to graduate."

"Then we put him in with the reserve corps." Mizuki shrugged. "We're ninja, and our line of work isn't always the prettiest or the most kind. That's why the corps were made, remember?"

"I know, but that isn't want Naruto –" Iruka glanced at the boy, apparently recalling that he _was_ still in the room.

Naruto blinked, shrugging his shoulders as he looked between them. "Don't mind me, I'm just waiting to hear what you think."

"…Naruto, would you please take a step outside?"

Naruto grumbled at that softly, but complied with the request. Closing the door behind him, he closed his eyes and opened his senses to the Force to amplify them. Like he'd just let them talk about him behind his back and not even try to listen in.

"He's not ready for ninja life. You know what it's like Mizuki, and we can't just subject children to this. We aren't at war." Iruka said, trying to convince his friend to see his way.

"No, but then we're _always_ 'at war' with the other nations. It's just a cold war, where no one really does anything outright because they don't want the retaliation of the other villages when they've been weakened due to their fighting. Besides, you see Naruto's scores right in front of you. He's got everything a good ninja needs right there. So what if he can't use the basic jutsus?"

"The basics are the core fundamentals that every good ninja needs to learn." Iruka's words sounded like he'd ripped them straight from the textbook. Knowing how the man's mind worked, he probably had. "If he can't show that he understands how to perform them how –"

"Iruka, how many times have you and I actually had to use any jutsu other than the Replacement while in a fight? I mean yeah the Clone Jutsu could be a good technique but no one uses it. And the Transformation is hardly combat worthy, and when used in a city one good hit and your whole disguise goes down."

Naruto rolled his eyes at that, his mind already trying to think of how either of those jutsu could be used despite what Mizuki had just said. While he didn't care to know or use them at the moment, he would one day return to them and learn more about how they worked.

"…he's just a kid Mizuki."

The scowl on Naruto's face deepened at that, and it took a few stern words from Kurama to calm him as he clenched and unclenched his hands. He was _not_ some child to be coddled and hidden away. He was…more. But if he was held back here and now, he would find a way. There was always another way.

Naruto could almost feel Mizuki placing his hand on Iruka's shoulder. "Iruka, he passed. We've gone over these lessons only a few times with his age group, but he knows all of this information. He's put in the time, the effort, and he's clearly got the drive. Besides, you know how often Genin get to leave the village. It's not like his security blanket is going to get yanked out from under him."

"…son of a bitch." Naruto muttered, eyes wide as he realized that even by becoming a Genin, he'd _still_ be stuck in the village. His plans to be able to go out of the village, to see the world at large, and find the missing pieces of Kurama's plan were suddenly shattering around his head.

"Well…" Iruka's sigh slowly brought him back, refocusing on the man's voice. "You're right. I…I can't let my bias stand in the way. He _did_ pass. I just…he's just a kid. I hope he knows what he's doing."

"Don't worry, he'll be fine." Mizuki pat Iruka on the back. "Besides, the corps are mainly training and doing things around the village regardless. He'll be nice and safe."

Walking over to the wall, Naruto pressed his head against the wall and closed his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to put his head through the wall to end his torment, but if he did that he'd likely lose any standing or respect that Iruka may or may not have had for him before. So, turning around, he waited for the two to emerge.

As they did so, he studied them carefully. Iruka's eyes were downcast, most likely because he was embarrassed by the fact he'd 'made a mistake' and was now forced to correct it. Mizuki just smiled that false friendly smile, trying to be the good guy of the two.

"Alright Naruto, after reviewing it, Mizuki's right. You do pass, but only just barely." Iruka sighed, giving Naruto as firm a look as he could. "Unfortunately, you're graduating early, and your classmates are already slated to be paired up, which means you'll be waiting in the corps until there's an opening in one of the other groups. Understood?"

Naruto nodded slowly, mind already trying to figure out how he could get onto a team. The corps was likely a much simpler umbrella system that was meant to keep and house those who passed but didn't have the chance to become ninja like everyone else.

Glancing to Mizuki, the man's look became far off and distant, and Naruto couldn't help but pause as the man's eyes locked with his own. Grinning brightly, another idea came to mind as he used the Force to plant a short message in the older Chunin's head.

Turning back to Iruka, he wrapped his arms behind his head and laughed. "Well of course I do! Don't worry, I won't be a nuisance or anything. I've waited this long, I'm sure I'll get onto a team soon enough."

Iruka frowned at how well Naruto seemed to take it, but then he likely didn't know exactly what being part of the corps meant either. "Alright then, if you're sure." Pulling out a headband, he placed it in Naruto's hands. "Welcome to the ranks of ninja Naruto. We hope you'll do your village proud."

"Don't worry Iruka-sensei…" Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly, his demeanor looking somewhat foxlike as he grinned. "I'll one day be a name everyone will remember."

I-=-I

Mizuki frowned as he walked through the streets that night, his mind moving a mile a minute. The exams had gone about as well as he'd expected, and he'd seen plenty of kids who had potential, but most of them were simply average. All of them were too smart for their own good, and if this kept up he'd be stuck as a Chunin here forever.

He wanted more. He wanted to be higher ranked, be given more authority, more access, and most of all, more power. He knew, that if he just had access to the jutsus of the upper ranked ninja, then he'd surely be able to ascend in the ranks and get exactly what he desired.

Rubbing his right shoulder slowly, he considered it once again. The markings placed there, the formula for a brew of power so dangerous yet tantalizing, was something that had taken him a while to fully make out. From the ingredients alone, the brew had significant strength to bolster his chakra in ways that no ordinary training could do, but knowing who its creator was he was wary. He was still considered a useful member of the village, and he didn't want to throw that away for something that may or may not work.

And then there were these thoughts he'd been having. Not one to normally look so far past the village, his eyes found themselves staring into the sky with a look that felt lost far beyond the moon. There was something out there, something more than he could see. But…why was he feeling so excited about it? About the idea that there was more possibilities in a place he knew nothing about?

Shaking his head, he let his head fall as he refocused on his surroundings. To his surprise, he found himself in the middle of a training ground not far from the village. Turning slightly, he blinked in confusion. He'd been walking aimlessly, and somehow he'd ended up here? It…felt right to be here though, so he shrugged and took a few more steps into the glade.

"Oh good, you came."

Mizuki flinched, stopping in place as he heard the voice. That voice, it was one he was possibly more familiar with than any of the other teachers. Looking up, he forced a smile at the boy in the trees. "Ah, hello Naruto. What brings you out here tonight?"

"You."

Blinking at the strangeness of his response, Mizuki found himself fully facing the boy with a critical stare. "…me? But I didn't ask to meet you here."

"Nope." Naruto said with a grin, hopping down his place onto the ground.

"And…actually I have no reason to be here." Mizuki muttered, looking around slowly. Suddenly, this place seemed much darker, and more sinister than it had a moment before. Reaching towards his pouch, he drew a kunai just in case he needed it. "In fact…I was supposed to be heading home right about now…"

"Nope."

Mizuki whirled on the boy, eyes narrowed darkly as he sat on a stone not too far from him. "What did you do _boy?_"

"Hm?" Naruto blinked, the look in his eyes never shifting from the mischievous look of someone who knew far too much. "I didn't use any jutsu on you if that's what you mean."

Pulsing his chakra slightly, he tried to break whatever illusion he was under. Sadly, the world remained the same, meaning that whatever it was, it wasn't an illusion. "That's not what I asked. What did you do?!"

"…I asked you to come here." Naruto leaned back, resting his back against the tree as he stared blankly into Mizuki's eyes. "I've been hinting at this for a long time…almost two years now."

"Two…years?" Mizuki asked, puzzled by this. No jutsu had just a long activation point beyond seals. While Naruto knew plenty about the other curriculum, seals weren't something generally taught unless by ones sensei, and even then most waited till they were Chunin before they began learning.

"Yup. Ever since I joined the Academy, I've wanted out." Naruto sighed dramatically. "Do you know how _boring_ Iruka is? I mean really, he just drones on and on about the basics and history when there's so much _more_ out there that I need to get into before I grow old and bored."

Despite his trepidation, Mizuki couldn't help but chuckle at the similar feelings he had. "Yeah, Iruka has his moments, but then he's not really a visionary. He just wants to teach and help others achieve their goals."

Naruto shrugged, eyes looking to Mizuki with that mischievous look slowly darkening. "And what about you Mizuki? What do you want?"

"What do I want?" Mizuki muttered, his head almost instinctively rolling back as he looked towards the sky. He could feel it, just beyond his grasp yet so close.

But what was this feeling?

"So it has been working then."

Slowly, he looked back at Naruto, who's smug look told him all he needed to know. "You. _You're_ the one who's put this in my head?!"

"Mm, yeah that's me." Naruto said with a shrug. "You caught me Mizuki, now I have to tell you everything right? I mean, think about it." Eyes flashing in the light of the moon, Naruto stood up and threw his hands into the sky. "What do you know about the universe? What do you know about what's out there in the places we can't see? Nothing. So who here would expect you to get something from there that would make you more powerful than any ninja here could possibly imagine? No one. And that's the beauty of it! You could be stronger, faster, and have access to so much that isn't here, but…"

There was a long silence after that. Mizuki's mouth felt dry, almost like sandpaper at what Naruto was saying. It was everything he'd wanted, everything he'd been thinking about for what felt like so long now. Even the very fact that Naruto had placed the idea in his head was lost in comparison to the ability to do…anything. To learn, to see, to grasp on the unknown. He wanted it. "…but?"

Naruto sighed, hands falling to his sides as he shook his head. "But…the only way off this planet is circling in space, and the only way to call it, or any part of it down, is hidden away on the planet." Naruto crossed his arms, closing his eyes as he hummed. "It's almost like the Force is making a challenge for me to overcome…to prove we're worthy to leave the world. I'm not going to back down though…which is why I need your help."

"My…help?" Mizuki said, his voice even despite his desire to grab the boy and strangle him. With all this opportunity, he was now saying he couldn't even live up to it by getting him what he wanted? Then again, perhaps he could use this to his advantage. "What's in it for me?"

The jump over asking what Naruto even wanted him to do caught Naruto a bit flat footed, and it took him a second to remember exactly why he'd decided to talk to Mizuki about all of this. "A ride of this rock. I could've found it on my own, but…I want to leave sooner rather than later. I want to go out there, to see the stars, and to make it to where the galaxy truly begins. And I need you to help me find it."

"…and how am I supposed to do that?" Mizuki remarked. The idea of being partners with Naruto was once more looking silly. He was just a boy, a child without any real idea of how the world was supposed to work or operate. So why did he feel the need to even listen to or stick around despite how many holes he felt in Naruto's plan?

"There's a ship that landed on the planet. A small one, that's probably still out there, just over grown with what the world has thrown at it." Naruto said slowly, eyes slowly shifting from blue to a feral slit red. "I've reached out with the Force, and found that while the ship itself is down, damaged, and worthless, it has thankfully kept its most precious cargo safe. A transponder. Something we could use to call a ship down, and use to get off the planet." Closing his eyes again, he groaned. "Unfortunately, I am not able to leave the village, and I'm not able to go looking through any place off limits to civilians and Genin."

"Which is where I come in." Mizuki was beginning to see where Naruto was going with this, and inwardly commended Naruto on his…fine choice in associates.

"Yes, that's where you come in. I need someone who can leave the village, who can look in a few of the areas I've narrowed it down to, and who wants more out of life than to just sit back and let the world spin around them while they go nowhere." Naruto scoffed at that idea. It was the very idea of that which made him want to leave in the first place. "I'd do it myself…but again, I'm not all too keen on staying in the village any longer than I have to."

"Oh trust me, I know that feeling _all_ too well." Mizuki muttered, slowly taking a seat across from Naruto. "So…out of curiosity, what's to stop me from just…taking the ship when we call it?"

"You don't know how to pilot it."

"…well when we get it out into…space, what –"

"You don't have the right power source for it."

Mizuki frowned, not liking how much Naruto seemed to have wrapped in his hands at that. "…and you do?"

"Yep." Naruto slowly tapped the side of his head, eyes hardening. "I had an…uninvited guest try to take me, only to lose everything. His mind, his soul…I know it all. It's why I know how to get off here, and no one else does. I mean, if it were that easy, anyone could do it right?"

Slowly conceding the point, Mizuki shook his head. "Okay, let's just say I believe you. What's to stop you from holding up your end of the deal once we finish this?"

"Mizuki…" Naruto walked over, ruffling the man's hair as though he were a child. "You're the only one who can do it, and going out into space…it's kinda boring when you're all alone. And besides, you're too much _fun_ to not keep around."

Mizuki frowned at that. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

Naruto pat his shoulder. "You'll see~" Turning, Naruto began walking from the glade, leaving Mizuki to his thoughts with one last comment. "If you're serious about this, I'll leave the map in your room. Think about it!"

Grinning as he felt Mizuki's mind already going over all the information, he chuckled softly. _"Naruto."_

"Oh come on Kurama, you know he'll follow me." Naruto locked his arms behind his head, grin never wavering. "I've been badgering him with the promise of adventure and power out there for two years. _Two years_. If he's not completely sold about this plan then it looks like I'll just have to wait until I can do it myself, right?"

"_Perhaps, however, you already know he cannot be trusted."_

Naruto shrugged. "Details, details."

"_No Naruto, not details. If you want this to work, you need to follow my plan. Little details like adding in someone like him could throw everything off. You are being impatient, and reckless."_

"And why shouldn't I be?" Naruto stomped his foot down, stopping as he scowled. "I've been looking, I've been training, but all I'm every allowed to do is sit still and wait. Wait, wait, wait. I can't _take it_. I…I…"

Naruto's head slowly fell, and through the Force, he felt a sensation not unlike someone patting his back. _"I know Naruto, but that part of the plan may take months, or even years later if what we learned from Kaxn is anything to go off of."_

"…it's not fair." Naruto said softly, gripping his stomach as though he were in pain. "I can do it. I know I can, I just…I want…"

"_Soon Naruto. Patience…and then we'll bring the galaxy to its knees."_

Naruto took a deep breath and sighed in resignation. Kurama was right, though he hated to admit it. Even with the memories, mind, and techniques of Kaxn, Naruto was still ten years old, and struggled with things like this. Having to sit still, wait quietly, and plan his next move; Kaxn's mind didn't prepare him for that. The Rakata were an entire species that was united with the purpose of conquest and had long since succeeded. Naruto could _feel _that power, he _knew_ it was possible, but not here and not now.

Here and now, he needed to be patient, he needed to wait, and he needed to get his mind in order. He still needed to get what the Rakata and his Force Hounds had left behind, and he needed to reactivate them so that he could use them.

Closing his eyes, he sighed and made his way back to his apartment. There was still much work to be done.

I-=-I

The list of new graduates slated for the reserve corps was one that not many people had access too, and fewer still actually looked over the information. Most in clans glanced at it with the sole intention of seeking out any of their family's names so that they could either protest their placement or see if they could help whoever it was should they be in need of it. The Hokage barely had the time to glance at it because of all the other work and records he needed to keep track of and take care of.

One man though had an abundance of time. His eyes studied it critically, humming softly as he thought over each name with a pause as he reviewed their results. Many were average at best, but then that was perfect for what he needed. They were average, slipped through the cracks, and unnoticeable. It made them perfect for recruitment, and for his particular methods of training.

As he continued to look through the list, he paused with only the slightest change in expression to hint that anything had changed in his demeanor. One of the names stood out like a sore thumb, but because of how low it was buried in the stack, it was likely never going to be seen by anyone; the file of Naruto Uzumaki.

Leafing through his file, he found that the boy didn't seem to stand out much as he thought, however that was mainly because his scores had been slighted by his failure in using jutsu. He softly scoffed at that. Jutsu were merely a tool for a ninja to utilize, not the sum of a ninja's skills. The other skills, kunai and shuriken, as well and hand-to-hand combat, were practically spotless in comparison to the other graduates. The responses and answers he gave showed a surprisingly strong alliance to the village, which he found himself nodding at as he reviewed the boy's work. He'd clearly been training himself in other areas that his teachers had overlooked, and in doing so had placed him ever so neatly into his lap.

No words were said for a moment as he put the file down in front of himself. He knew they were there, and he knew they were waiting for him to speak before moving. Good. Their training was clearly paying off. "I want you to find this boy, and bring him to one of our facilities. You know which method to use, so be discrete. We don't wish for this to get out to the general public after all."

"Of course, Danzo-sama." The two figures hidden in the shadows said in unison before vanishing from their hiding places to begin their search.

Danzo hummed softly at this turn of events, inwardly wondering what the future would hold for Root now that he had a possible method of training the container of the nine-tailed fox.

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><p>AN: Those of you who have read <strong>From Darkness<strong> know that particular story required a bit more build up seeing how I threw Naruto into the extended universe of Star Wars and needed to set things up. Obviously I'll be doing something similar here, however it'll be later on, which means I can get to a bit more of the action and whatnot where Naruto is going out and doing things sooner rather than later.

So, here's another chapter out. I hope you're all enjoying the story so far, and I'll see you in the next chapter of **A New Era.**


	3. Chapter 3

AN: I don't own Naruto or Star Wars.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Root Initiation<span>**

After sketching out some more items into his notebook, Naruto shook his head and lay back with a groan. He could feel it, so close yet outside his reach constantly. It was almost like the Force was taunting him, letting him know of the great power that could one day be his, and yet forcing him to wait patiently while he had to remain in his apartment.

He hated it. He hated that he was just one boy and was unable to rally the empire Kaxn's mind had shown him in his dreams. That hatred boiled beneath his skin, and were it not for Kurama's soft whispers, he feared that one day he'd simply explode with the full power of the dark side like a bomb and begin attacking anything and everything like a berserker. It would be a pointless endeavor, but at the very least he'd get some of this anger out of him.

Due to his inability to do anything else with his anger, he'd instead begun channeling it in other ways. With such ready access to the dark side, he found he could use that to sustain himself when food was low, and on occasion he'd used it to create illusions to occupy his time. He knew his skills with chakra were falling far behind his classmates, but then they paled before the might he could continually feel through the Force.

That wasn't to say he didn't practice training with chakra, trying to learn to better mold it, going through the hand seals and working on each movement till he at least appeared to have the finesse and prowess his classmates had. The only jutsu that he'd felt comfortable using was the Replacement Jutsu, and even then it was only because of his ability to have a moment to reconnect to the Force shortly afterwards that he even allowed himself to mess with the technique. Otherwise though, the Transformation was one he could mimic with his illusions and take a step further beyond that and cast it on other things. He'd done so a few times wherein he'd entered a store looking like a dog or another person to get some of their food without anyone even knowing he'd done so seeing how there _shouldn't_ have been a way for them to be grabbed.

Smirking at that thought, he reached out and drew over a piece of bread, nibbling on the edge of it as he let his mind wander. Surely there was _something_ he could do with his position in the reserves that would benefit his situation. While Mizuki was going to be running around doing field work, perhaps he could use his skills in one of the ninja hired areas where he'd previously been banned? The library would be fun, but knowing the people there he didn't want to risk it.

Rolling his eyes at the idea of being careful, he eventually sighed and rolled out of bed seconds before his alarm went off. "Another night of no sleep. Oh joyous day."

Taking a quick shower and preparing himself for the day, he redressed himself in his outfit from the day of graduation, sans one change. Tied tightly to his right arm was the headband that labeled him as a member of the ninja corps, which would allow him access to places normally unavailable for him.

Running a hand through his hair, he made his way to where the service corps headquarters was near the Hokage's Tower. It had been almost a month since he'd joined the corps, and he was already regretting his decision. Despite being almost spitting distance from the Tower, many of the ninja there weren't sent out on missions like other grouped ninja were. Most of their jobs fell into the territory of helping with the average day jobs from building structures, to forging weapons, to helping old ladies crossed the street.

Rolling his eyes at the 'illustrious prospects' before him, he felt an itch on the back of his neck that made him pause in his thoughts. Glancing around, he sighed heavily as he turned inwards. _"What is it Kurama?"_

"_Company. Someone's watching you."_

Naruto's eyes glanced through the district slowly. It was still fairly early in the morning, yet the number of people filing out of their homes was beginning to grow quite rapidly as the sun crested the horizon. Growling inwardly, he tried to keep the expression from his face. _"I don't see them."_

"_That's because they're right behind you."_

"_Oh…well this day's turning out to be a blast then."_ Naruto mused, wanting nothing more than to punch his fist through a wall at the idea of being tailed. The worst part though was that he could do nothing about it; if he tried to lose them they'd catch on that he'd known they were there, and if he turn to look for them they'd simply slip away until they had another opportunity. Which meant all he could do right now, was walk onwards to his destination.

As he turned the corner to where he saw the building approaching, someone landed directly behind him. Unable to help himself, he turned to face them with a small snarl. To his surprise, the person hand their hands placed together in a seal where their hands formed a box-like position. "Mind-Body Switch Technique."

"Oh you can't –" Naruto managed to say seconds before his consciousness was roughly shoved to the back of his own mind and he was unable to see anything.

I-=-I

"So, this is the boy?"

"Yes sir."

Naruto's eyes remained shut, feeling the blindfold over his eyes and his hands tied with rope which was also bound to his legs. Completely immobile and blind, but aware enough of his surroundings thanks to the Force, he kept his breathing even as he waited for them to address him.

"You've awakened." The second voice said. His words were gruff, and hollow, and were Naruto able to see him he imagined the man to be quite old. "Do you know where you are?"

He considered being snarky for a brief second. It would be alltoo easy for him to do so, to vent some anger and let himself be his true self for even a moment. As it was, he got the impression that the two individuals he could sense next to him wouldn't take kindly to that. Sighing with a hint of annoyance, he shook his head. "No I don't. Then again, you probably knew that already, what with the Yamanaka you have there forcing me into unconsciousness."

"And how do you know it was a Yamanaka?"

Naruto snorted at the comment, "I'm young, not stupid. The Yamanaka are known for their skill in mind based techniques, especially with that of the Mind-Body Transfer he used on me. He was just a second to slow to keep me from seeing the hand seal…not that I care, it's a Yamanaka technique. I like being in my _own_ body thank you very much."

"…I see. So you are as perceptive as I was told."

Rolling his eyes behind his blindfold, Naruto sighed heavily. "What is this about? I was kind of on my way to start getting jobs so I can earn money to pay my rent, and now I'm probably very late."

"No, you aren't late. In fact, should our discussion go over well, I'd say you're right on time." The words made Naruto pause, tilting his head suspiciously as he waited for the man to continue. "Tell me boy, why did you become a ninja?"

"…" Naruto was silent, giving the words some thought before he answered. His reasoning had been that it would allow him the most freedom to explore outside of Konoha in the future, and it would allow him access to certain materials he couldn't obtain as a civilian. Not legally at least, and not without drawing significant attention. Sensing that wasn't what this person wanted to hear, he slowly sighed as he combined this with a better excuse. "I wanted to be able to leave Konoha, to see the world and learn about other villages. We talk so much about war, that I don't want to see it happen if it can be prevented by knowing about our enemies. I mean, their defenses will be different than ours, and if we know about them, than if they don't hold true on their alliances, then we'll know more about them than they'll know about us."

He senses nothing from the person in front of him at his response. No approval, no disdain, only a blank slate of emotion. It was rather unnerving to Naruto, who was used to being surrounded in a sea of emotions, a sea of people who were constantly thinking or feeling in a way that he could use to anticipate how they'd react. It had kept him out of sight of those in power, and it had been how he'd picked out Mizuki to entice him to follow him.

"What would you do then, if there were an option that allowed that?" The man's voice said sharply, getting Naruto to blink in confusion. "How much would you put on the line to protect your home, and to keep it safe even during times of peace?"

"…the hell are you talking about?" Naruto said with a scoff. "Peace? There's no peace between ninja villages. There's only an air of tension, where we for the daimyo to make their next hasty choice where we're once more sent into battle. I'd give my all to prevent them from doing something so very rash without us knowing what to do. I mean after all, we're ninja. We're _supposed_ to be always looking for the upper hand in a fight."

Naruto waited for the man to respond to his words, wondering if he'd perhaps been too hasty with his reply. Then, "Cut him loose."

While not what he had expected, Naruto was relieved to find that the rope that held his arms and legs behind his back were cut, giving him a chance to release himself from them. Slowly reaching up, he pulled off the blindfold and stared at the man.

The man was old; old as the Third Hokage himself was at least. He was wrapped in bandages that covered the right side of his face, and one of his arms was bandaged beneath his shirt as well. Dressed in a simple samurai-like manner, the man's face was much like Naruto had felt him to be; completely devoid of emotion and with a focus on him that made Naruto worried that he could see into the very core of his mind.

"Do you know who I am boy?"

Naruto was silent for a full moment, confused as to how quickly this was all happening. "…you're Danzo, one of the Third Hokage's advisors. Why…did you bring me here?"

"To give you a choice." Danzo said simply. "I wish to offer you a chance to do all that you've said you wish to do; defend Konoha from outside invasion, keep its borders in line, and perhaps even stop war from occurring altogether. Otherwise, I'll allow you to return to your life as you were, in the reserve corps, looking for a job as a simple builder, or guardsman, waiting silently for the Third to find your name to place you on a team wherein you can act as you've wished, perhaps years later."

"…and you can just, do that?" Naruto asked incredulously. That sounded _far_ too good to be true, and yet the man sat unperturbed by his doubt. "And…how? How can you do this?"

"You've not answered my question boy. Do you, or do you not want this?" Danzo asked sharply, with only the most minor of inflections in his voice.

Naruto stared at the man before looking for the two men who were supposed to be in the room. While he couldn't see them with his eyes, he knew they were there, and they too were waiting on his reply. Exhaling sharply, his lips curled into a frown. "And how can I trust you?" Seeing no response from the man, he continued slowly. "You say you want to help Konoha, keep it safe and all, but you have your men possess my body to drag me down here. For all I know, this isn't about Konoha. Maybe it's all about what you want, and what you've planned. So unless I get an explanation…" Naruto let the words hang in the air; an empty threat to be certain, but one that showed that his allegiance was wavering before the man.

"You know nothing of me boy." Danzo said with his words barely more than a whisper. "I've watched countless battles, fought in two open wars and even more underground wars. If you believe yourself so clever in questioning my allegiance to Konoha, I would suggest you remember that I do not _need_ you here. I have called for your presence because I see potential; wasted potential sitting in a barricade known as the reserve corps. My purposes are to better Konoha, to allow us to grow in our place as the strongest of the ninja villages, and to cultivate the tree that is our home." Tapping his leg slowly, he finally relented one bit of information. "We are what has kept Konoha grounded, strong, and fortified. Root's purpose is exactly what I've said, and my purpose is to make certain it happens."

Naruto stared blankly at the man, thinking it over. In the back of his mind, Kurama began whispering softly. _"He offers exactly what you've wanted."_

"_But then I wouldn't need Mizuki, would I?"_ Naruto mused, unwilling to let go of the man just yet. He'd seen a lot of potential in the man, and he wanted to make the most of it. _"If he found out I was part of this Root –"_

"_The answer is simple then; don't tell him."_

The idea was one he inwardly flinched at, not liking it all that much. When dealing with people, he wanted them to be sure that they could follow him, as it made it easier for them to know when his threats were in fact real and readily hanging over their heads.

Thinking over Danzo's offer though, he found himself a bit torn. Why come to him personally? The Kaxn part of him asked. His own mind quickly countered that this _wasn't_ the Infinite Empire where their numbers were countless; they were large yes, but there could only be so many people drawn into this organization. And if they were all under his command anyways, he might as well show them who they were working for from the very start, rather than surprise them later.

Looking up to Danzo, he hummed softly. "Alright…what would I have to do to get into this…Root program then? I'm guessing it's not something anyone can do, seeing how you were very careful about hiding where we are."

Danzo remained unmoving, staring into Naruto's eyes carefully. "Speak clearly Naruto. I want only a yes, or a no answer. Nothing more. Nothing less."

"…yes." Naruto said slowly, internally palming his face. So he'd be conditioned then, to answer and act how Danzo wanted? How very droll.

"Good." Danzo made the barest hint of movement, and Naruto blinked as he was suddenly surrounded by the two presences that he'd felt from before. "Go prepare Uzumaki for the seal, and then get him ready for training. We begin training in the morning. I hope for your sake, that you live up to the challenge."

Gripped by the two men, he was hauled to his feet and escorted out of the room. Blinking rapidly, Naruto silently questioned what he'd gotten himself into.

I-=-I

As Naruto left, Danzo considered the boy silently. Normally, he'd set the teams up in pairs, and when their final test came, they would be pit against one another in a fight to the death to see who was the stronger of them, and who was the more loyal. Should they have bonded to the point where they simply wouldn't attack each other, he would have both combatants killed. It was such a waste, but then he would not have loose strings. Not again.

This time though, he had something else in mind. He wanted – no, he _needed_ – a different approach to some of the upcoming events. The Chunin Exams would be held in Konoha in three years' time, and he wanted to ensure that Konoha had not only the best show of force, but also his best people on the job in helping ensure everything went smoothly.

This meant planning, forethought, and a team that he could call in who'd fit into the various entities that were Konoha's ninja force. Naruto, being the container of the Nine-Tailed Fox meant that his show of force would be able to overwhelm any obstacle, and take out any fellow demon containers should any of the other villages think that such a show of force would help them.

That left a problem for Danzo though; who would he entrust with such a mission? All of those beneath him were loyal to the death, and many more were more than strong enough to handle anything that came their way. No, it wasn't the person who would stand in as the high ranked Jonin who had 'taught them'; it was the students who would be chosen to stand as his fellow Genin.

Which lead to the current issue. He couldn't simply put Naruto into a two person cell like normal, and then expect him to be separated from them for a mission. They were children, still lacking the wisdom one developed through experience and time. Even with the proper training, there were some who still held onto that individuality for years more than the three he'd be expecting them to accomplish. No, what he needed was something unorthodox; a three man cell that would act as though it were a regular Genin team, and carry out the missions he'd regularly assign to those of a two man cell. Then, when their mission as stand in Genin was done, they could complete their training.

Upon doing so, he expected that should Naruto prove to be loyal as the most stalwart of his men, he'd be quite capable of tearing through the two with ease. And, should he not be, then the victor of the three would be the one he'd transfer the Fox to, and from there he'd have them continue their work.

While not flawless, it would work more than well enough for his designs. Standing slowly, he made his way to where he knew two boys around his age were. It was time that they be given their most recent assignment.

I-=-I

Whatever Naruto had been expecting from this Root organization, how efficiently he'd been locked down and worked into it was not one of them. Almost as soon as they'd arrived in the first room, they'd had him kneel down as a scroll's worth of seals were placed near him. With precision only a seal's master could accomplish, they'd completed several more and placed them on his face. Naruto couldn't begin to comprehend the speed of the seal before his face was roughly grabbed and he felt the man's chakra flowing into the seals.

When the man removed his hands, Naruto felt like he'd swallowed a burning coal and it had gotten lodged against his tongue. Coughing and sputtering, his eyes darted between them warily. "What…was that?"

"A security measure." One of them, a man with blonde hair that was most likely the Yamanaka who'd had him walk here, said. Sticking out his tongue, Naruto noted that there was black lines marring the back of his tongue. "They are seals that will keep us from revealing who we are, and who we work for, even in the face of torture."

"…well then…" Naruto muttered, making a mental note to learn more about the seal. His first day as part of them and already he had a leash to keep him in line. Wonderful.

Moved to the next area, he winced at some of the clothing styles they had laid out for him. Clearly 'inconspicuous' was not part of their vocabulary, as anyone would be able to tell who they were based on the overall design of the clothing. Picking a vest that fully covered his torso, he shook his head with a grunt. It was rather ridged, and beneath the cloth he could feel several hidden pockets wherein he could hide various items. All of which would be useful to him in the future, provided he found a use for them in the first place.

After getting a brief overview of the facility, he was allowed one look at the layout before he was told that he'd have to know where everything in the facility was before the end of the day. He silently thanked the Force and Kurama for allowing him a sharper mind than normal so that he could memorize where at the very least most of the things were.

They'd shown him something akin to a cafeteria, though from what he could tell it was likely meant more as a gathering spot where people ate rather than a place where food was prepared. Like all the places, it was rather barren, and simplistic; two things that would drive Naruto crazy later on.

Thankfully the place had plenty of scrolls, and a training room, so Naruto at least felt that there were some redeeming qualities. Kurama was wary about it, and as they'd gone through the place he'd silently told him to keep his senses open, and remain focused. This was a den of enemies, and there would likely be many tests he'd be forced to endure before he ever got the chance to do what he truly wished to do.

Naruto scoffed at that. What he wanted was to _leave,_ and soon. Each day the worlds of in the galaxy progressed steps forwards, making things even more difficult for when he got there. He knew things were different, he knew that he couldn't possibly be coming out into a galaxy that Kaxn remembered.

That being said, the idea of that made him even _more_ curious, wanting to see how much had changed and how much he could change it further. He was practically _begging_ the Force to let him leave, to find the transmitter and get off this rock. Yet still, the time was not right, and so he was forced to stay.

"And this will be where you will congregate with your fellow Root initiates." The second man, a man with glasses and high collared shirt, motioned into the room.

On the other side of the room, two boys were kneeling as they glanced up at him. His own eyes moved over to the doorway, feeling someone moving away from their position. Someone had just been here, likely talking to the two boys; probably meant to keep an eye on him. Perfect, now he had to be even more careful about what he did.

Returning his eyes to them, he grinned as he looked at the two. The one on his left was a black haired boy with dark eyes, wearing a shorter cut vest with two different length sleeved; right sleeve going to his wrist while his left sleeve was short. The other boy was clearly older, silver hair coming down to his shoulders, with the exact same outfit as his fellow Root member. They stared at him for a moment, silently taking each other in. Behind him, he could hear the door closing as his 'escorts' leaving the room.

Then, Naruto was stunned as the silver haired boy grinned. Standing up, he walked over and grabbed Naruto's shoulder. "Hey there! Welcome to our team."

Naruto yelped as he was yanked into the room, the silver haired man impetuously setting him across from the other boy before sitting across from them again. Looking between the two, he was almost relived to find that despite the completely emotionless group he was with, there were at least a few who had emotions. The other boy looked a bit lost, but otherwise smiled at Naruto as well.

"Hello there, and welcome." The boy said, motioning to himself. "My name is Sai."

"And I'm Shin." The silver haired boy said, grinning brightly.

Naruto looked between the two, watching them closely. To his surprise, there was no malice or hidden intent. Shaking his head, he grinned back to them. Alright, so he was in Root, he was surrounded by potential enemies, and they put him with two people his age? Silently he offered his hand to them. "I'm Naruto, a pleasure to meet you." Glancing between them, he chuckled softly. "So, anything I should know while I'm here?"

Shin hummed softly, rubbing his chin slowly. "Well, if you're expecting to go out and save Konoha right off the bat, that won't happen. You're going train, and you'll learn how Root operates. After that, we'll be doing mainly courier missions and taking out thieves and your basic enemies before we ever touch foreign soil."

"That's okay, I can wait." Naruto said, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly in pain at the idea of having to wait. "Besides, learning to fight is the biggest thing we'll need for when we're able to get to even the border of Konoha."

"That's true." Sai rubbed his cheek, thinking about that for a second. "We'll need to be fully equipped with the skills to wrestle with the challenges that the world has for us."

Naruto stared at the boy before slowly looking to Shin. Thinking about it, suddenly this seemed like a much more opportune situation than he'd first thought. While he wasn't a manipulative person, and Kaxn wasn't a manipulative person either, he had other ways of getting what he wanted.

Slapping the floor, he smirked as he watched Sai jump slightly. "Well then, I guess that means that we'll just have to be the greatest Root has to offer then. Maybe even better if we work together."

Shin's smile was as wide as Naruto's, punching his fist readily in front of him. "Heh, well then, what are we waiting for? Why don't we get started then!?"

"Wait," Naruto said, grabbing Shin's arm before he bolted out. "Why don't we go over our skills then? That way, we know how to cover each other's weaknesses as we train, and can be a…better operating team."

Sai frowned, reaching to the sword on his back. "Why do you want to know that?"

Naruto rolled his eyes at Sai's mistrust. Clearly the boy was going to have to learn to trust him. "Look, all I'm saying is that we'll be working together right? So we'll want to know more about each other skills. For example, I'm fairly decent with hand-to-hand and can handle a kunai better than shuriken, my skills with jutsu and chakra is abysmal, and I have…some skills with illusions. But only some."

Shin stared at Naruto, humming for a moment before slowly nodding. "Alright, I see what you're saying. I'm decent with a sword myself, though I have some skills with kunai and shuriken, I have some skills with jutsu, but have no skill with illusions. I guess I'm just too impatient to really make the most of them."

Sai looked between them, looking concerned for a moment before sighing. "I'm okay with hand-to-hand fighting, and my sword skills are mediocre at the moment. My illusions aren't that good, but my jutsu…"

Hearing him cut himself off, Shin gently nudged him. "Come on Sai, no need to hide it. Remember when you showed me? It's a really cool skill, and I bet Naruto will think so too."

"Think what is cool?" Naruto asked, glancing suspiciously between them. When Sai pulled out a small book, his eyes narrowed slightly. "And…what is that?"

"…I draw sometimes." Sai said softly, slowly opening the sketchbook. "I've been working on a technique that can allow me to bring my drawing to life. It's been successful…mostly. I can use it on little sketches like mice, but larger images I'm still working on."

Naruto's eyes widened at that. The potential in this technique was enormous, and he found himself pointing to the book with a confused look. "You're telling me that you can bring drawings to _life? _That's awesome!"

Sai looked down sheepishly, looking rather embarrassed by the attention Naruto was giving him. "Well, I mean it's a decent skill, but –"

"No, that's an amazing skill. There's a lot of potential in it, and I just…" Naruto threw his hands in the air, as though he were unable to voice his thoughts. "And yeah! I mean, I bet anyone here would be happy to have something like that as their skills."

Punching the poor boy's arm, Shin chuckled at Sai's shy mutterings. "Don't worry about it, he's always been like this. He's actually gotten a lot better since we were paired together."

"I see." Naruto said, chuckling softly as he shook his head. Patting Sai on the shoulder, he smiled brightly and reassuringly. "Don't worry about it, we're your friends. That is, if you're willing to be friends…" Glancing to Shin, he got a big grin and a large smile of acceptance. Smiling back to Shin, he clasped his hand to Shin's shoulder as well. "We're all going to be the defenders here, and we'll work together to be the very best Konoha has to offer. Right?"

"Right." Shin said, glancing at Sai.

"…right." Sai said after a moment, slowly smiling himself.

"Well then, it's decided!" Naruto grinned, neither of the boys in front of him noticing the dark look in his eyes.

Yes, this would work nicely.

* * *

><p>AN: I know some people don't like Danzo, but I do, and the situation was good enough for me to use him to help Naruto build a little bit of a home base. He's not going to be a complete manipulator, because he doesn't need to be. Naruto from the mangaanime is honest and was able to build up a series of people who were either loyal or followed him without needing to make them do anything. That'll be the sort of methodology that Naruto will use here, and hopefully I'll make that work/clear before Naruto gets to space.

As for Mizuki, he won't be left out, but I'm going to need to move things till I get there. Thankfully I get to use the power of time skips to help move things along to help, and I'll reveal what happened during the training as they go on.

So, until next time, this has been **A New Era** and I'll see you next time.


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